Manual wheelchair tilt-rest skill: a cross-sectional survey of awareness and capacity among wheelchair users

Abstract

Purpose: The tilt-rest skill consists of tipping the wheelchair back and allowing it to rest against a solid object with the wheel locks applied (e.g., for pressure redistribution, neck comfort or hands-free activities). The objective of this study was to determine the proportion of experienced manual wheelchair users who are aware of this skill and who can perform it.

Materials and methods: We conducted a cross-sectional survey of 49 manual wheelchair users using a questionnaire developed for the purpose. The tilt-rest skill was attempted by those who reported that they were capable of performing it.

Results: Participants’ mean (SD) age was 55.1 (18.2) years, 38 (77.6%) were male, their median (IQR) duration of wheelchair use was 2 (7.2) years and their mean (SD) daily time spent in the wheelchair was 9.5 (4.6) hours. Twenty-seven (55.1%) participants were aware of the skill, 19 (38.8%) reported being able to perform the skill and 16 of 47 (34.0%) were able to demonstrate the skill. Multivariate modelling with the question “Can you complete the tilt-rest skill?” as the dependent measure revealed an inverse relationship with age – Odds Ratio (95% Confidence Interval) of 0.476 (0.293, 0.774) (p = .0028) for each 10 year increase in age.

Conclusions: Only just over half of manual wheelchair users are aware of the tilt-rest skill and one-third of users can perform it. Older people are less likely to report being able to complete the skill. These findings have implications for wheelchair skills training during the wheelchair-provision process.

Implications for Rehabilitation

• Only just over half of manual wheelchair users are aware of the tilt-rest skill and only about one-third of users can perform it.

• Older people are less likely to report being able to complete the skill.

• These findings have clinical implications for wheelchair skills training during the, specifically that clinicians responsible for manual wheelchair-provision process should ensure that appropriate wheelchair users have the opportunity to learn this skill.

Keywords:

• Wheelchair
• assessment
• training
• rehabilitation
• motor skills

Acknowledgements

We thank D.A. MacLeod, MSc Kinesiology and M. Sherman, MScOT for their help in the development of the teaching videotape.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.